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10/9/08 2:30 PM | Johan Lindahl
Kei Nishikori was treated like a rockstar at his home event last week in Tokyo despite losing in the third round at the Japan Open to Richard Gasquet.
That is likely only the start as Japan's biggest success story, as the first tennis hero from his nation since Shuzo Matsuoka a decade and a half ago, rises even higher.
The 18-year-old's sponsorship income is improving as fast as his tennis, with the teenager signed to a shirt patch by the nation's prime manufacturer of cup noodles, the snack of choice in Asia and elsewhere.
In addition, he is bankrolled by Sony with its worldwide clout in the technology and entertainment arenas.
The Florida-based Nishikori has all the right things to say about his newest sponsor. "I've loved Ramen (noodles) since I was a little boy. Instant noodles are a food culture that has spread all over the world and they always reminds me of Japan."
Nishikori, ranked 77th, is the first player from Japan to make an impression on the ATP since Matsuoka, whose career-best ranking was 46th in the world in 1992.
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